526 
INTRODUCTION TO 
after his death, in the College of Salsette near Goa, they had found their way to 
the Jesuit Archives of Goa. 
I cotne to the allusions to Monserrate’s writings in Colonel Wilford’s geographical 
and historical studies contributed to the Asiatick Researches of Calcutta. “The 
original MSS. of Monserrate’s travels is in my possession,” he writes. 1 (As. Res., XI, 
1807, p. 230, n. 1.) And again, in a paper published in 1851, but written in reality 40 
years earlier, we read, after a Batin quotation from Monserrate: “ The original MS. is 
in my possession.” ( Journ . As. Soc. Beng., 1851, p. 247). Strange that, on the 
ground of his hazardous theories, 2 Wilford should, in this matter too, have been dis- 
believed. 3 Wilford was, no doubt, very bold, but throughout his writings there is a ring 
of honesty which cannot be mistaken. To the quotations adduced by the Hon’ble 
E. D. Maclagan: As. Res. (1807) IX, 5 7, 212, 230, lean add the following : Ibid. (1799) 
VI, 496, 497; (1805) VIII, 324, 328; IX (1810), p. 73; (1822) XIV, 454; Journ. As. 
Soc. Beng. (1851), 242, 247, 248, 266, 269, 271, 473, 481. In all these passages Mon- 
serrate’s “ MS.” is openly acknowledged, and what is interesting, though very galling, 
is that Wilford’s quotations do not refer to the Calcutta MS. at all, but to Monserrate’s 
Ek. II now lost. This is clear from many passages, e.g., from what he quotes 
concerning the thirteen basso-relievo figures upon a rock-temple at Gwalior, which 
Monserrate said looked like the figures of Our fiord and his twelve Apostles. (As. Res. 
IX, 212). That passage is, indeed, found in the Calcutta MS. It is one of the many 
bracketed ones which Monserrate intended (?) to transfer to Bk. II; but, whereas 
it occurs on the verso of fol. 17 of the Calcutta MS., Wilford— the only time that he 
refers to the pagination of the MS. in his possession — quotes p. 164. Again, the 
texts quoted in Journ. As. Soc. Beng. (1851), pp. 247, 266, and the note taken from 
a map by Monserrate {ibid., p. 271) are not to be found in the Calcutta MS. I con- 
clude then that Wilford had in his possession the original of Monserrate’s Bk. II.* A 
1 MSS. is here used as a singular by Wilford. — “The original MSS. of Monserrate’s travels" would seem 
to refer to the Calcutta MS. rather than to Monserrate’s Bk. II; but, the text quoted does not occur in the 
Calcutta MS. 
2 In 1851 some of the members of the Asiatic Society of Bengal requested to have Wilford’s Comparative Essay on 
the Ancient Geography of India published “ in the hope that the conjectures and even fallacies of such a man as Col. Wil- 
ford would not prove uninteresting.” Cf. /. A. S. B., 1851, p. 227. 
3 Cf. E. D. Maclagan, Op. cit., J . A. S. B., 1896, pp. 49-50. 
* Wilford died at Benares. Over his tomb in the Old Civil Cemetery we read: ’“ Sacred to the memory of Francis 
Wilford, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Engineer Service of the East India Company, aged 71 yeaxs, deceased on the 4th 
September 1822. Encouraged by the liberality of the Government of British India, he fixed his residence at Benares in 
the year 1788, devoted his life to retii'ement and study, eminently qualified by previous education, extensive erudition, 
a true intellect and indefatigable zeal. He made himself master of the classical language and literature of the Hindus, 
and applied his knowledge to the eradication of the dark periods of antiquity, with a success that perpetuates his own 
reputation and the honour of the British name in the East. In the social relations of life his merits were proportioned 
to his talents, and the abilities of the scholar were reflected by the virtues of the man.” — We have searched in vain for 
Bk II in the Board of Examiners’ Library, the Imperial library, and the As. Soc. Library of Calcutta, i hoped I had 
traced one of Col. Wilford’s descendants in Capt A. Wilford, 5th Light Infantry, Nowgoug (Central India), but he 
t 11s me on the authority of some biographical work, the reference to which was unfortunately mislaid, that Francis 
Wilford was a native of Hanover, who came to India in 1781, as an officer with the foreign troops sent by the 
I , r i 1 i.~.ii Government. E. A. II. Blunt thinks he was a Swiss. Cf. his List of Inscriptions on Christian Tombs. . . . Allalxa- 
!<! , i , 1 ’ , p. 1 G.j, where some interesting facts on Wilford’s career have been put together. — We have collected in App. B 
the texts of Monserrate quoted by Wilford. 
